Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with anxiety.

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BeyondBlue Hi! Check out this post if you're not sure how to start
  • replies: 0

Hi there and welcome to the Anxiety section of the Forums First of all, thank you so much for joining us here. We think it’s amazing that you’ve taken this step to getting support and learning from this Community. You are very welcome here and we are... View more

Hi there and welcome to the Anxiety section of the Forums First of all, thank you so much for joining us here. We think it’s amazing that you’ve taken this step to getting support and learning from this Community. You are very welcome here and we are really interested in what you might want to add to these conversations. We get it, having anxiety makes it hard to share in a public place. Remember, this is anonymous and the Beyond Blue team are here to help if you need it This section is for people who are experiencing anxiety in some form in their lives. This might be in social settings, at work, or just in the day to day. You don’t need a diagnosis to post here. If it feels like the right spot for your post, go right ahead! We know that feeling anxious can make it hard to reach out so we want you to know that getting this far is amazing and a great start. A few tips for getting the most out of this section: Get involved when you can! Posting and replying is the heartbeat of this community and you DO have something worthwhile to share (when you’re ready ) Every experience is different. There is no competition here. We know how challenging anxiety can be and how it comes in all shapes and sizes. What you are experiencing will be respected and supported here. Trust yourself! You are the expert in your experience. This community works because people like you share what has worked for you. Thank you for getting involved and taking a look. We can’t wait to hear from you! Beyond Blue

All discussions

Speak Your Truth Sleep
  • replies: 11

I am having big problems with anxiety, but after seeing my GP my meds have been increased and just last night and today I think I felt a shift for the better. One thing in particular on my mind just now though is that while I am lucky to be able to s... View more

I am having big problems with anxiety, but after seeing my GP my meds have been increased and just last night and today I think I felt a shift for the better. One thing in particular on my mind just now though is that while I am lucky to be able to sleep at night my body wants to sleep in day hours as well. Can anyone give me feedback please ? Is a lot of sleep good in recovery, or in some way is it self-defeating, or good or bad in some other way I haven’t thought of ? I can’t think we’ll so any help would be good, thankyou.

CJ_stuff_and_stuff Heart attack fear constantly
  • replies: 4

Hi there, i have lived with panic attacks since I was 15.. little did I know at that time that is what it was. I had heart palpitations in a couple of major episodes as a kid, subsequently I had a halter monitor for s few weeks, stress tests, ultra s... View more

Hi there, i have lived with panic attacks since I was 15.. little did I know at that time that is what it was. I had heart palpitations in a couple of major episodes as a kid, subsequently I had a halter monitor for s few weeks, stress tests, ultra sound etc. of course they all came back fine. It was until about 10-12 years later that I had a similar experience. It was then I was told I had panic disorder - a round of medication later and I didn’t have another attack for another 6 years. This was about 3 years ago and since then I have been having a panic spell every 3-4 months, which I know doesn’t sound like a lot but every time I am convinced I am about to die, that this time is the last time. I live in constant fear of this predator taking over my mind and body at any time of the day and now the night. i am in the process of tapering off medication because I believe the meds make it worse but I also take a different medication when the episodes do happen. what I would like to know is if anyone else has heart health fear and panic, what you do to bring yourself back to relaliry and ideally I would like someone to tell me if there was something wrong with my heart, the tests as a teenager would hace shown something... (I do realise you are not doctors so this is an unrealistic request). i would also just like to feel like I’m not a nut job

Airbear I have been having panic attacks in class and it’s becoming overwhelming.
  • replies: 1

I have been having panic attacks because of my anxiety. At first it was fine but now it happen regularly. The main problem is that I haven’t told anyone about my anxiety. I fear that they may make fun of me for it. I was thinking of talking to my sch... View more

I have been having panic attacks because of my anxiety. At first it was fine but now it happen regularly. The main problem is that I haven’t told anyone about my anxiety. I fear that they may make fun of me for it. I was thinking of talking to my school councillor but I have never talked to her before so it makes me rather nevous to open up to her. I am only in my first year of high school at the moment and it is starting to become overwhelming having these panic attacks. Who should I talk to? What can I do to help with the panic attacks? And should I tell my teachers so when I have one I can be quickly excused?

Hme44 Asbestos anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hi, I have a long history of ocd and anxiety which often attaches itself to something specific in my life. Currently and for the last year my partner has been working with Telstra pits and has been trained to remove the asbestos ones and replace them... View more

Hi, I have a long history of ocd and anxiety which often attaches itself to something specific in my life. Currently and for the last year my partner has been working with Telstra pits and has been trained to remove the asbestos ones and replace them (does not do it everyday) I have developed and unbearable anxiety and fear of asbestos. He wears all the appropriate ppe and follows all the rules however I can’t help but think it is coming home on his clothes under the Ppe or on his phone he might have used after doing it or his work iPad which all get used after work hours. We have a young child and I think this is why I get so worried. My partner assured me it’s fine and he would never put us at risk but I can’t stop worrying. It has gotten to the point I make him get changed outside and leave his clothes there which I know is totally unfair. Does anyone else have this anxiety ? How did you help manage it. I’m also thinking it’s floating around everywhere and every time we go somewhere I’m finding myself checking walls and fences etc. I know it’s silly but I can’t help it, would love to hear from others who have this worry or from anyone who can assure me. Thanks

willrad Panic attacks increasing HELP
  • replies: 4

I am 21 years old 76kg and 177cm tall and quite healthy i work full time. I have had anxiety for years now and it has recently gotten worse so i thought i would just list the issues im having. Firstly my anxiety is almost always related to how i feel... View more

I am 21 years old 76kg and 177cm tall and quite healthy i work full time. I have had anxiety for years now and it has recently gotten worse so i thought i would just list the issues im having. Firstly my anxiety is almost always related to how i feel physically, i have had a heart ablation for SVT and since then i have been very aware of my heart beat and anything abnormal (to me) makes me anxious and panic. I have had multiple tests since then and a halter monitor for 24 hours and everything is fine but still whenever I have a skip beat or chest pain i panic and this is happening daily now and affecting my work. Secondly I also cannot exercise due to the feeling of a racing heart even though i know its normal I always have a panic attack after exercise and now i have no motivation even though i really enjoy sports. Exercise feels like a panic attack. Thirdly I have also been getting anxiety from certain foods like if i eat a food i dont often eat such as spicy food or mushrooms i get anxiety from thinking im allergic for some reason!? And then this can lead to a panic attack it just feels like anything that happens to me gives me a panic attack. It is mainly related to heart and chest pain but even if i have sore back or leg my brain will find a way to link the pain to a heart attack. I just want 1000 tests and an MRI to give me closure that i am fine even though i know im fine. Even if i get tests i feel like the doctors missed something and ughh it just sucks. I was on meds but don't want to rely on meds forever but also dont want to feel like this? thanks and sorry for the grammar i wrote this after a panic attack. So quick recap: Heart is the main cause, cannot exercise without panicking, allergy/food anxiety, chest pain/skipping beats anxiety THANK YOU!

demipouce anxiety about existentialism and death
  • replies: 1

Questions about existentialism ? I have been feeling really oppressed recently and have been thinking constantly about my own death and what misery the death of a loved one would bring to me as I am stranger to that feeling. I don’t believe anything ... View more

Questions about existentialism ? I have been feeling really oppressed recently and have been thinking constantly about my own death and what misery the death of a loved one would bring to me as I am stranger to that feeling. I don’t believe anything has triggered this thinking, I am of nature very anxious and overthinking is a big problem for me. Also being very curious I started asking myself all those questions and it has brought a lot of sadness and stress to me. Eventually those ‘over thoughts’ go away quite quickly but I am worried I will struggle to forget about the human’s only destiny, death. This is the type of questions / thoughts that harass my head and I will like some help to put them into perspective … 1 - Why am I ‘me’ in this era ? How in all those millions of years , am I being in 2018 ? Is it as simple as my parents having intercourse and me being the fastest sperm ? Are there any odds in the fact that I could have been born during the Middle Ages ? 2 - How does it feel like when we are dead? How to stop thinking about how the emptiness will feel like even though it will not feel like anything ? I am petrified about death, I am very adventurous and like living the life on the edge but the fact that there will not even be blackness because blackness can only be felt if our organs were still working is terrifying .. 3 - Can anyone enlighten me on the fact that we only know about to be as humans, we have no memories whatsoever of the past of the universe. We only know how to be humans since our hearts started beating, so does this mean we don’t only have one life ? I know there are religious believes for everyone but I am more likely looking for an atheist answer. 4 - If we live in a body, why couldn’t we live in another body in the future ? Without any memories of the life we lived in. 5 - How do I stop from worrying about loosing my partner or loosing my own life and how devastated It would be if any happened ? 6 - Is the daunting feeling of knowing the universe will keep on going even when we are gone as scary as I think it is ? Or am I really the only one … PS : Are there any resources / books I could read to help understand our existence and why the universe is the way it is ? Thank you for your help !

nicenite Just started at a new job, anxiety is weighing me down
  • replies: 2

I've just started my first full time job as a nurse after uni. I've suffered with social anxiety, and anxiety surrounding my family since year 10. In my new job I'm really struggling with confidence to talk to senior workers and I constantly feel lik... View more

I've just started my first full time job as a nurse after uni. I've suffered with social anxiety, and anxiety surrounding my family since year 10. In my new job I'm really struggling with confidence to talk to senior workers and I constantly feel like I'm doing things wrong and forgetting things. I feel like my colleagues can tell I don't know what I'm doing and are talking behind my back. I get very overwhelmed when the day gets busy and have even been on the verge of tears at work one day. I feel so stressed going in to work that I struggle to relax at home and feel like I can't do any other activities besides work. When I work a PM shift I spend the whole morning worried at home and even feel sick to my stomach. Any help or tips are appreciated! Thanks

Heids Coping mechanisms for anxiety and OCD.
  • replies: 3

I have recently moved to a small community in outback Western Australia. I take medication to try and assist my anxiety and OCD but it doesn’t seem to be working as well anymore or I am just not coping as well. I’m 8hrs from any major town/city so it... View more

I have recently moved to a small community in outback Western Australia. I take medication to try and assist my anxiety and OCD but it doesn’t seem to be working as well anymore or I am just not coping as well. I’m 8hrs from any major town/city so it’s very isolated. I was wondering if anyone had any coping mechanisms or strategies to help? Thanks in advanced

Lacie New job
  • replies: 2

Hey everyone, so this has been affecting me for sometime and now it is really affecting me, I have been working for the same company for over 7 years, and I want to get out.. I have applied for many other job, I have no problem going for the intervie... View more

Hey everyone, so this has been affecting me for sometime and now it is really affecting me, I have been working for the same company for over 7 years, and I want to get out.. I have applied for many other job, I have no problem going for the interview I get a tad nervous but when they offer me the job or to go for a trial I literally can’t physically go into the work place, I had a trial this morning I got all the way to the place and I couldn’t get out of my car, I can’t even explain why though it’s like I start having negative thoughts in my head and it gets so bad that I can’t go in. And this morning I just lost it crying in my car because it is really affecting me but I don’t know how to deal with my thoughts and just take that step into going into the work place.

HarlowWynter Sleep help
  • replies: 1

Hi, I am having trouble with sleeping not getting to sleep but staying asleep. I wake up at 4am every morning and cannot get back to sleep, i am exhausted and i know it only adds to my anxiety. Most of the time i wake up feeling nauseous, does anyone... View more

Hi, I am having trouble with sleeping not getting to sleep but staying asleep. I wake up at 4am every morning and cannot get back to sleep, i am exhausted and i know it only adds to my anxiety. Most of the time i wake up feeling nauseous, does anyone else get the same? Any tips on how to get a more restful sleep? I should mention i am not on medication as I'm trying to recover without for now. I am open to taking natural supplements if there are any suggestions for that. Thanks.